I Thought It Was a Common Transmigration - Chapter 79

“Ahahaha!”

The sound of his laughter drew surprised glances from the people in the cafe.

I’ve been attracting attention ever since I made a scene with the ladies earlier, but I guess there’s a different kind of shock when the second most handsome man in the world–the first for me–laughs.

“You’re still laughing?”

“Haha…… haha, ah…… I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve laughed like this.”

Killian kept wiping at his eyes, as if his laughter had brought tears to his eyes.

Fortunately, there was no more displeasure on his face.

“When I heard that the woman who was to be my wife was rumored to be a wicked woman, I thought my life was in disaster, but I never thought I’d be so refreshed by her.”

“That’s why there’s a saying ‘Live long and see what happens’.” [1]

[1] If you live long enough, you’ll see a lot of different things or you’ll have a lot of different experiences.

“Do you agree that you are a wicked woman?”

“Let’s just say it’s a matter of perspective.”

Killian’s shoulders shook again, and he finally calmed down and took a sip of his cold tea.

“As I’m sure you’ve heard, those lowlifes at the Sinclairs are desperate to discredit Lizé. They’re spreading ridiculous rumors that will get you slathered with the mud, too.”

“Well, the more famous and successful you are, the more you’re going to be plagued by rumors like that. Don’t worry too much, they’ll die down quickly.”

They’re doing it because they don’t know. But when they see Lizé at Cliff’s side at the National Day ball, they’ll realize how wrong they’ve been, and they’ll deeply regret it.

And then they’ll destroy themselves by shoveling their own graves.

“You know, you never cease to amaze me.”

“Me?”

“If it were anybody else, the first time they heard the same rumor, they would have gotten mad at me or tried to hurt Lizé.”

“Why?”

“Because…… I was in love with Lizé.”

For the first time, Killian admitted his love.

He didn’t look distressed, but there was a hint of bitterness in his voice.

“That’s not the same as the rumors those ladies were talking about earlier.”

“It doesn’t matter to them, because they’ll think the fact that you acted in a way that caused those rumors is the problem.”

Then Killian smirked and shrugged. “No, you don’t love me, so it doesn’t really matter, does it?”

He is smiling, but somehow he looks even more bitter than he did earlier.

I wonder if he feels unloved, even by a supporting character like me.

“Killian, I……”

I opened my mouth to try to comfort him somehow, but Killian didn’t hear me and called the cafe staff to ask for the bill.

It’s probably for the best.

If I tell him I love him here, I don’t think I’ll be able to handle it.

***

Returning to the mansion after an enjoyable outing, I found that the mansion was still in a frenzy.

‘I wonder if the boutique people have returned yet?’

It was getting pretty late.

Killian, hearing something whispered to him by a servant, stiffened slightly and tugged on my arm, leading me to the Duchess’ office.

In the office, the Duke, Duchess, Cliff, and Lizé were sitting together in a convivial mood.

“You’re all here. We’ve just returned.”

Killian gave a casual greeting, and the Duke, Duchess, Cliff, and Lizé greeted us as well.

But I didn’t miss the puzzled look on the Duke and Duchess’ face.

‘What’s wrong?’

At the same time as I wondered, I noticed something dazzling on the table.

“Why did you take out the Light of Lorraine?” Killian asked nonchalantly, as if he’d been looking at it from the beginning.

The Light of Lorraine, a necklace of seven large blue sapphires and hundreds of diamonds.

And I know why that necklace, with its grandiose name, was there.

‘Oh, this is the episode where the Duke and Duchess give Lizé permission to wear the Ludwigs’ most precious jewelry!’

The Light of Lorraine is a necklace so venerable and so emblematic of the Ludwigs that giving it to Lizé to wear is a declaration that the Duke accepts her as one of the Ludwigs, and that he would regard any attack on her as an attack on the Ludwigs.

I had no more than that impression, but Killian’s eyes were cold.

“Ah, Lizé has decided to wear this necklace to the National Day ball,” replied Cliff who seemed to be aware of Killian’s low mood.

But Killian didn’t seem to mind at all and replied in a cheerful voice, “Well, then, what are you going to give to Edith, your daughter-in-law?”

Killian smirked, surprising everyone in the office, including me.

‘What’s wrong with him?’

Is it because he doesn’t want to lose to Cliff?

But why does he have to bring my name?

I could tell that the Duke and Duchess were as flustered as I was, and they exchanged a look of confusion between their normally relaxed and gracious selves.

Then the Duchess managed a smile and said, “How about Edith takes the pick? Anything will do.”

“Oh, yes, that would be great. How about that necklace, Edith?”

“Yes? That one?”

“It’s the Ludwig family’s treasure, so you probably have first dibs on it. Why don’t you wear that necklace to the National Day ball?”

Why is this guy so pissed off?

Killian, get a grip, it’s Lizé who’s going to wear that necklace!

As I stood there speechless, Cliff’s eyes grew fierce, and Lizé looked flustered and close to tears.

‘We’re going to get into a fight here. What’s wrong with him?’

No matter how I thought about it, I couldn’t do any good by upsetting the male and female leads.

I don’t want to wear a huge necklace like that, and if I do, it would be a big deal if it got stolen or lost.

“It’s a beautiful and precious piece of jewelry, but I’m going to have to politely decline this time. I think it would look better on Lizé with her blue eyes than on me.”

“But……”

“And with your good eye, I’m sure you realize that that necklace doesn’t go with the dress I’ve ordered today.”

Killian gritted his teeth and barely nodded. “Then let’s go to the jewelry room now, and you can pick out something to go with the dress you’ve ordered today.”

He turned to the Duchess and added, “Is that all right, Mother?”

As the flustered Duchess nodded with an awkward smile, Killian slung his arm around my shoulders and began to lead me out of the Duchess’ office and into the jewelry room for real.

“Kil- Killian, wait, why are you so angry?” I asked in a whisper as I looked around.

Killian stood tall and looked down at me. “You’re not angry?”

“Me? Why……?”

I bought an expensive dress today, matched my shoes and boots, drank delicious tea, and had a great time hanging out, so what do I have to be angry about?

“It is customary for those who become daughters-in-law of our family to wear the Light of Lorraine on their first event after marriage, signifying that they have become a member of the Ludwig family. But they gave Lizé permission to wear that necklace first, which they never gave to you, the official daughter-in-law. Can you imagine the comments you would hear behind your back if Lizé were to wear it to the National Day ball?”

Ah, I understood.

I never once wore that necklace.

And now, at a formal event where everyone in the ducal family is going out together, Lizé, who is not a daughter-in-law or anything, is wearing it before me.

I am sure I would be treated as a lesser daughter-in-law than Lizé, who is a guest of the family.

‘But that’s the opinion of someone who doesn’t know.’

Even without the necklace, Lizé would be completely identified as a member of House Ludwig at the upcoming ball.

She would establish herself as Cliff’s mate and the Princess’ confidante, and she would become a social goddess, pressing the Sinclairs’ nose flat.

If I were to wear that necklace with Lizé by my side, what would it mean?

“Killian. I don’t care about that.”

“I’ve always thought you were a little too careless with your reputation, but this is a different matter!”

“Lizé is going to marry Cliff sooner or later, you know it, I know it, everyone will know it. It’s just that the future Duchess wore that necklace first, what’s the big deal? Wouldn’t it be rather rude for me, the second daughter-in-law, to do it first?”

“Edith!”

Everyone will be talking about Lizé at the ball anyway.

The only thing more embarrassing is standing next to her wearing a necklace that would give me a headache just by wearing it around my neck.

“And with the dress I chose today, I think it’s best to keep the jewelry to a minimum because the dress itself is so extravagant. You have a good eye, I mean, you understand what I am saying, right?”

After reasoning with him, Killian finally sighed heavily and gave up arguing.

“You’re not a greedy person. I never expected that.”

“How generous of you to say that the woman who stole Killian Ludwig is not greedy.”

The words I spoke without much thought seemed to have hit his conscience.

He burst out laughing again and again, suddenly exclaiming, “Ha, indeed.”

Time to lift his mood again.